Alexandra

Here is the landscape I lived in for a year before returning to Taranaki. Today, the forecast said that the maximum there was going to be 1 degree Celsius. I'm missing these rocks, and the cold. It was the long dark nights that I struggled with.

The Almond Tree

Last year, when I was living at Henderson House high above Alexandra in Central Otago, there was an almond tree in the garden. It was the first fruit tree to flower, very early in the spring, almost in late winter but alone and laden. The apricots, plums, and apples were all much later so this tree stood out, alone and laden.

At the time I took one photo of the scene, this one. Very Pictorialist in feel I recognise, but then the Pictorialism movement in photography has never been anathema to me. I'm more of the opinion that great photography has been made in all styles and with all cameras ever since photography was invented and I don't like to miss out.

I've just returned from Auckland where I had ten of this small image printed . This evening I'm wondering if that is going to be enough. Judging the size of an edition is not a straightforward process for me. Frequently I've misjudged and printed too few, at other times, too many.

The Foreshore

It's been in recent months quite unusual for me to pick up a camera. Just don't seem to be getting the call. It is I hope, an incubation period.

A week or so ago I went for a walk along our fine foreshore here in New Plymouth and found myself hesitating before several views. I was surprised, it seemed like a start.

Rocks and dirt are always tempting subjects, even if just as a way of practising scales so to speak, a way of understanding and building upon what has been done by colleagues before but long gone, of limbering up the fingers and concentrating the mind.

Below are some Kaikoura rocks, from the top right of the South Island, this was taken a year or so ago.